The Garden Goddess

Living Roof

2012-06-07T19:54:00.000+00:00

Having put an office in my very small garden, I had promised my lovely neighbours a good view. The roof was the perfect opportunity to create another garden and give the wildlife and insect life another interesting planting scheme to benefit them. I have often seen birds having a bath in the gully area on the roof, so I thought I would just complete the space for them. As the plants spread into each other and become one in the planting medium I am hoping for more mason bees to take up residence (I have one living in the wood of my office).

Trays of plants

Sempervivum arachnoideum

Office before living roof

These images above show the office before any work has been started on the roof. To ensure the plants stayed in place the height had to be raised by one plank. Another membrane was put in place, then a fleece blanket with a woven black membrane on top. This gave me the basis to put my planting medium on. To ensure nothing falls into the gully a wire mesh was put in place to hold it all back.

Finished roof

Close up of planting scheme

Planting scheme with gully

Sedum

A gravel layer was put ontop of the membrane to aid the drainage and I mixed up my own planting medium with multi purpose compost, perlite and vermiculite. The compost is a lightweight medium suitable for hanging baskets and containers and by adding the perlite and vermiculite this will aid the drainage and stop the compaction of the medium.
With the range of plants I used, I wanted to reflect a textural quality and extend the flowering season as well as adding variety. Not only have I used Sedum but Sempervivum, Saxifraga, Arabis, Frankenia thymifolia, Echeveria glauca, Scleranthus uniflorus, Armeria maritima Alba and a Lychnis alpina.
With the planting scheme I wanted something that once they blended, would not be a mess to look at, so by blocking up the varieties together and working on the spiral theory, it will still be defined in years to come. I look forward to its development and with all the rain at the moment they are establishing well, without any help from me.

Getting ready for the year

2012-02-01T10:51:00.000+00:00

With the weather turning colder again - now is the time to get all those jobs done that you keep putting off before the ground starts warming up and plants start emerging from their dormancy. Having taken on a new allotment last year, this is the time to get it all organized for the coming season and you don't have to do it all by yourself. Kids love to get involved - I had Cody my son paint my new second-hand and repaired shed - he did the whole thing which was great adding his own touches on the windows. You can organize the inside so it is comfortable to be in if it rains or if you need a cup of tea to keep you warm!
The pleasure about the allotment is the socializing and the promise of a cold beer on those hot summer days............together with the growing your own food and taking it back home to cook. Kids love to be involved so it is good to give them a bit of space they can make their mark, put in a small pond, put up a hammock - it has to be varied as their attention span will be short.

Back to what to do now - if you haven't done it already get those Rasperries and fruit bushes in now. Create an area for them as with Raspberries they will spread and put the fruit bushes in so when the time comes to pick you can get around the whole bed. Keep the existing beds tidy and cover over with some black membrane - this will not only prevent the growth of weeds but will start to warm the soil up. Time to put some early Broad beans in now to - they may take some time to emerge so cover with some fleece. Happy allotmenting!

Getting ready for the year

2010-10-31T06:56:00.003+00:00

Smiling Faces